Hi Sandra

Thanks very much for this - really useful to see and remember that such approaches HAVE been taken previously in some places (and incarnations of LD) and it's important that our collective history is not lost! I absolutely agree with you how key it is that these initiatives concentrate on the grassroots base - and are jointly student-and-academic-practitioner-driven!

John

-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sandra Sinfield
Sent: 25 January 2013 13:45
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Student consultation on LD

Sorry John,
I think I misunderstood the question the first time. Here we have moved through several different modes or types of consultative process.

At one time we LD'ers ourselves formed a diverse grass roots and informal body, entitled the 'learning and language development group'.
This was made up of any member of the university with an interest in what could be termed LD activity - and we had an extensive membership and mailing list. We had termly meetings to share good practice within the curriculum - and good practice within the LD spaces of the institution.

Over time the Coordinator, Learning Development was also invited to sit on two formal committees of relevance: Learning and Teaching (LTC) and the Information and Learning Environments (now defunct). Each had some form of LD brief or oversight - and thus we had the opportunity to communicate at Committee level.

A later development still, was the evolution of a Learning and Teaching Forum where Education Developers and Learning Developers met with Faculty Learning and Teaching Facilitators - again with emphasis on E&LD within and outwith the curriculum and an opportunity to brief the LTC.

General workload meant that the grassroots group was allowed to wither and the formal Forum became the space for LD discussions.

I now think that understandable as that was at the time, this was a mistake. Whilst it is important to have a voice at SMT level - and to be seen to communicate effectively with leaders of related 'services'
- it is really really fundamentally important to keep the grassroots base involved in LD in every mode it manifests within an institution.
Important for solidarity, communication and the development of networks of mutual respect...

Good luck with your endeavours, John!

Best,
Sandra

On 25 January 2013 12:35, John Hilsdon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi again everyone
>
> Since I posted my original question on this topic there've been some very helpful responses on the list and I've received several to me off list ... thank you to everyone who has contributed so far.
>
> In brief:
>
> - most of us undertake online or paper-based anonymous evaluations of 
> LD and PALS type activities, and invite individual responses regularly
> - some LD 'services' also ask subject academics to evaluate LD
> - some involve SU and course reps in focus groups
> - many of us report on and discuss LD in configurations including 
> other 'services' such as careers, library, counselling etc. etc
>
>  As yet, I've not heard of anyone who has what I'd call a constituted 'consultative group' for LD. This I imagine as a body of members who have an interest in what LDers*  do!
>
> I envisage such a body meeting reasonably regularly and reporting through university and SU structures so as to be part of 'governance' and able to inform decisions.
>
> This is what I intend to do at Plymouth. I've now had a meeting with our SU and our student advice centre manager and we are setting up an  initial meeting including me, (an)other LDer(s), student union sabbatical officer for academic affairs and welfare, an invitee from our student parliament; invited PALS leaders and participants; and our Associate Deans for Teaching and Learning (we have one of these for each of six faculties). This is not intended to be the full or final membership of the consultative group but is a provisional or transitional body whose remit will be to draft terms of reference for such a consultative group.
>
> I will report back to LDHEN on our progress - our first meeting is likely to be end of Feb/early March - and would be very pleased to hear from others attempting similar things - or those who have done this already, or have other ideas!
>
> Best wishes
>
> John
>
> *I'm using the term Learning Developer here in a broad sense - i.e. including all those other than 'subject academics' whose role is to work directly with students to make sense of and encourage full participation in university life (a la Ch. 1 of Hartley et al 2011).
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: learning development in higher education network 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sally Alsford
> Sent: 16 January 2013 14:29
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Student consultation on LD
>
> Hello Colin
>
> Yes, I agree these are important questions; also that we shouldn't be bypassing the Students Union.  Our student forum has grown up fairly on the run, to be honest - and aims at consulting meaningfully, as well as inviting students to help with tasks and work with us on useful initiatives.  It is also to do with that gap you identify.  We are working with the Students Union - officers as well as student reps., - as much as we can, and exploring relationships and future possibilities...
>
> best
> Sally



--
Sandra Sinfield
University Teaching Fellow
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